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Bush, Koizumi take hardline stance on North Korea in final summit
By Hiroshi Hiyama and Olivier Knox
AFP
WASHINGTON
Petroleumworld.com 06 30 06
US President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday launched a new warning to North Korea over its weapons programs as they highlighted their close relationship at a final White House summit.
While both eagerly looked forward to a visit to Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion on Friday, the two concentrated on international problems, particularly North Korea, at their talks.
Highlighting that 60 years ago, the United States and Japan were at war, Bush told a press conference, "today we talked about North Korea, Iran and Iraq, and trade, and energy cooperation.
"It's an amazing fact that we are able to have these discussions. To me it shows the power of liberty and democracy to transform enemies to allies."
Bush said that the United States and Japan wanted to send "a clear message" to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il over the Stalinist state's nuclear weapons and reported plans to launch a long range missile.
"We discussed this issue at length. We both agree that it's important for us to remain united in sending a clear message to the North Korean leader that first of all launching the missile is unacceptable."
Bush acknowledged that there was no clear information about the missile but the US president said Kim "has an obligation" to inform other countries about his plans.
In an apparent effort to win heats of the Japanese public, Bush also denounced Pyongyang's kidnapping of Japanese nationals to train its spies, a issue extremely emotional in Japan.
Koizumi said different tactics could be used to dissuade North Korea from launching the missile and that "various pressures" would be applied if the launch went ahead.
Bush said the United Nations could be one avenue and hinted that work on missile defenses would also be an "interesting opportunity".
"The Japanese people cannot afford to be held hostage to rockets," the president said in a pointed comment.
Meanwhile, Koizumi called the Iranian nuclear crisis "a grave issue," despite Tokyo's traditionally close ties with Tehran.
The United States has backed a package of incentives crafted in cooperation with Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia in an effort to convince Iran to accept limits on its nuclear programs.
Japan has been a major investor in Iran's energy sector, as Asia's largest economy is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil.
"The Iranian issue remains a grave issue for the entire world economy. And Japan wishes to cooperate with the United States and other countries concerned on this matter as well," Koizumi said.
In a symbolic joint statement, the two leaders said the US-Japan partnership is "one of the most accomplished bilateral relationships in history."
The bilateral political, economic and military alliance has contributed to stability in Asia-Pacific, the statement said.
Koizumi, on a final North American tour before he stands down in September, got a welcome worthy of a state visit as he and Bush emphasized their close personal ties.
Hundreds of US military in full dress uniform laid on an elaborate ceremony in sweltering heat for the prime minister.
"Americans cherish our friendship with the Japanese people. We value our alliance with the nation of Japan. And we honor the leadership of Japan's Prime Minister Koizumi," said the president.
"He is a man of vision. He's a man of integrity. And I'm proud to call him my friend," Bush said after they reviewed the tightly closed-ranks of a US military honor guard with US and Japanese flags fluttering in the background.
"It is no exaggeration to say that over the past five years there has been no world leader, alongside President Bush, among the world leaders with whom I've felt so much heart-to-heart, felt so deep a friendship and trust, and have cooperated with," Koizumi said through an interpreter.
With essentially no urgent issues standing between the two nations, Bush joked that the high point of Koizumi's visit would likely be a visit on Friday to the Memphis mansion of the late "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley.
"Officially, he's here to see the president, but I know the highlight of his visit will be paying his respects to the King," said Bush, who counts Koizumi among his very closest friends on the international scene.
US officials said that the pomp and circumstance of the visit aimed to thank a steadfast ally but also serve as a message to Japan's future leaders that Washington would like Tokyo to become an ever-bolder player on the world stage.
AFP 29 1909 GMT 06 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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